Aaron Ramsey fires Arsenal to FA Cup final win over 10-man Chelsea

Arsenal lift the 2017 FA Cup! The club captain Laurent Koscielny shares the honour with Per Mertesacker, who was outstanding today. He hadn’t started a game in 392 days, and then played like that. Astonishing! The ticker tape comes down on the parade, as everyone takes their turn in lifting the old pot. It’s just reward: they were all magnificent. Chelsea by contrast weren’t at the races, uncharacteristically outfoxed and outfought. Seems doubles aren’t so easy to land after all, and Antonio Conte still hasn’t won a final as manager. Still, their brilliant league season will keep them warm at night when today’s disappointment fades. But this is all about Arsenal, record 13-time winners of the cup, and Arsene Wenger: the greatest FA Cup manager of all time.

Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker hoist the trophy high. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Then it’s Arsene Wenger’s turn. That’s the seventh time the Arsenal boss has held the FA Cup above his head. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Arsene Wenger speaks! “It was an outstanding performance from the first minute onwards. This team has suffered, united, and responded. I said last week this team will win the championship with one or two good buys, and keep them together. They showed strength and we played spectacular football today to win the game. I am very proud [to win seven FA Cups] because you see the fight you need even to win one. I am proud of doing two things that have never been done: to win a championship without losing a game, and to win seven FA Cups. It is not easy, believe me.” And will he be here next season? “We have a board meeting on Tuesday, and all will be clear on Wednesday or Thursday.”

Aaron Ramsey, who can file today’s winner alongside the one he scored against Hull in 2014, speaks! “It’s been an up-and-down season, but to finish it with an FA Cup has to make it a successful one. I just love this competition. The boys deserve it, and I’m happy for the manger, I’m delighted. He’s been fantastic for me, fantastic for these players. Fair play to him, he’s changed the system and it’s paid off. So hopefully he’ll be here next season, because we owe him a lot.”

Wenger allows a huge grin to play across his face. After all the flak he’s taken this season, this is lovely to see. He’s warmly congratulated by Conte, sportsmanship in full effect. And then he’s embraced by his players, who were to a man beyond excellent today, and richly deserve their success. Chelsea - the brilliant English champions - simply weren’t allowed to strut their stuff today. Arsenal did a comprehensive number on them ... and now the famous old north London club stands as the most successful in the history of the oldest club competition in the world.

FULL TIME: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea

A simply wonderful final comes to an end! Arsenal win their 13th FA Cup, most deservedly so: they’ve been brilliant today. And that’s their manager’s seventh. That Arsene Wenger, he’s not half bad, huh?

90 min: Giroud takes down a high ball on the edge of the Chelsea box, and instantly turns it round the corner, down the right channel for Ramsey. He’s in, but his shot is not good. Chelsea will have four minutes to save themselves.

87 min: And how did this stay out?!?! Ozil enters the Chelsea area from the right, sells Cahill an outrageous dummy, and free, eight yards out, hammers a low shot off the base of the right-hand post. The ball comes back off Courtois, and out for a corner. Wow!

86 min: Kante shoots from distance. Nope. Mertesacker looks to chest and clear, but he’s barged out of the road by Costa, who slaps hard goalwards. Ospina somehow parries, and the ball’s cleared. How was that not a goal?!

85 min: Bellerin backs himself in a footrace with Luiz, knocking the ball past the Chelsea defender and breezing into the box. He shoots low, hard, across Courtois and inches wide of the left-hand post. You wouldn’t bet too much money on this ending 2-1, would you.

82 min: Willian takes the set piece himself. Luiz races in at the near post, but can only plant his header well wide of the target. Arsenal make another change, removing Oxlade-Chamberlain and sending on Coquelin.

GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (Ramsey 79)

Giroud’s first act is to latch onto a Sanchez pass down the left and chip it into the middle, where Ramsey sends a downward header into the bottom right! Arsenal, almost immediately, are back in front! What drama here, to borrow some BBC commentary from the 1979 five-minute final!

GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea (Costa 76)

Out of nothing! Chelsea ping it around awhile. Willian, dropping deep, pings the ball towards Costa, 12 yards out and level with the left-hand post. He taps it to his right, past Holding, and hooks a slow shot goalwards. It takes a nick off Mertesacker, but should still be saved by Ospina. But it squeaks into the bottom left! All in super-slow motion! Brilliant opportunism by Costa!